"Your passion and enthusiasm to come to this listening session is a real shot in the arm for all of us. It helps us remember why what we are doing is so very important."

- Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation at U.S. EPA after a Chicago listening session on carbon pollution safeguards

1. Take Action: Make 21st Century Transportation a Reality2. Take Action: Protecting America’s Great Outdoors3. Victory: Clemson Goes Coal-Free4. Congress: House Votes Leaves Families at Risk

1) Take Action:Make 21st Century Transportation a Reality

In the first months of 2011, the President laid out a vision for building a world-class transportation system that works for America. Now more than ever we need clean, efficient, and affordable transportation choices that can break our addiction to oil and put America back to work.

Last week, President Obama announced the release of his administration's America's Great Outdoors report. This report is the result of almost a year's worth of public engagement around the country. It provides a roadmap to help protect our wild legacy in the face of climate change and to help reconnect youth and all Americans to the outdoors.

South Carolina's Clemson University just announced that it will be eliminating the use of coal on campus, making it the 12th campus nationwide to do so. The announcement follows a campaign by the Sierra Student Coalition and allies who have been working on the campus to encourage the administration to stop burning coal. Ending the use of coal is the first of several planned utility upgrades over the next five years and a significant step towards meeting the Clemson’s commitment to reduce overall carbon emissions to zero by 2030.

4) Congress: House Votes Leaves Families at Risk

The U. S. House of Representatives passed a funding bill on Friday severely limiting the federal government’s ability to protect American families and our environment from dangerous pollution. The measure cuts funding that would enable the Environmental Protection Agency to hold polluters accountable while giving those same polluters generous government handouts to continue dirty business as usual. The measure now moves to the Senate.